Nellore: The bandh organised by TD, YSRC and NGOs to protest against bifurcation of the state was partial in Nellore city and total in Kavali, Venkatagiri, Gudur, Atmakur, Udayagiri and Sullurpeta towns.
The organisers of the bandh prevented the movement of RTC buses till afternoon. In Atmakur, Kavali and Venkatagiri, the organisers have deputed one or two persons from their parties to keep a watch on the depots and alert them if buses are coming out of the depot.
The situation led RTC officials to suspend about 410 services out of 715 till afternoon. However, the buses moved freely after 2 pm. RTC Regional Manager Ravikumar has put the loss because of the bandh at Rs 35 lakh.
In Nellore, even the city buses run by private operators remained off the roads fearing attack by the organisers in the backdrop of similar incidents in the past.
Shops downed the shutters only after the bandh organisers forced them to do so in Nellore. Banks and government offices closed at the instance of NGOs. TD and YSRC men have taken out bike rallies.
AP Special Police have been deployed besides Central forces at the Central government organisations and also at the bus stations and railway stations across the district to prevent any untoward incident.
Nellore SP P.V.S. Ramakrishna moved around in Nellore to assess the situation. TD leaders led by party politburo member Somireddy Chandramohan Reddy have taken out a rally on motorcycles.
Party district unit president Beeda Ravichandra, Nellore town leaders Kotamreddy Srinivasulu Reddy and Dharmavarapu Subba Rao also participated in the rally.
YSR Congress Nellore city coordinator Dr P. Anil Kumar Yadav has participated in a motorcycle rally along with party men in the city. They were seen forcing the traders to close their shops at Stonehousepeta area.
NGOs led by district unit president C. Ravindrababu and Students JAC members led by Krishna Yadav took out rallies and staged demonstrations to register their resentment over division of the state.
Elsewhere, traffic on the national highway came to a standstill for over an hour when TD men led by Gudur legislator Balli Durgaprasad Rao squatted on the road near Gudur as part of the bandh.
TD cadres led by Venkatagiri legislator Kurugondla Ramakrishna also staged similar protest at Venkatagiri. Students JAC members ensured closure of all shops, banks and government offices at Venkatagiri.
